Fibrous, covered container



June 6, 1944. 1.. M. WILEY FIBROUS, COVERED CONTAINER Filed May 21, 1943 ''PII;. 2 ""J 1%. 1

1/ PIEi. 3

INVENTOR. LEE M. W/

BY 1 EX Patented June 6, 1944 NITED STATES PATENT oFFlcs This invention to a covered container that is non-metallic and non-vitreous in char- Preferably the material is moulded fibre or pulp suitably impregnated or coated with emulsions,

semi-liquids or liquid solutions so that thecrltical dimensions are provided and retained and the finished container and cover or closure walls will withstand evaporation of container contents and be non-absorbent thereto and in the case of foods will be non-toxic and airtight.

One chief object of this invention is to prnvide a covered container that is of the general character above indicated, as well as one which readily lends itself to opening and closing despite airtight sealing.

Another chief object of the invention is to provide a covered container wherein the cover, when inverted, may serve as a stand or saucer for the open container, and also wherein the covered container readily lends itself to stacking in a partial nesting formation.

Still a further object of this invention is to reduce the actual cost of such a' covered container over a metai container for the same contents by, first, the difference in weight and. secend, the difference in volume, over and above the actual difference in the cost of the material, etc., therein as compared to a metal container, the first mentioned being approximately 60% the weight of metal and the second mentioned, when nested, displacing but 73% of the space or volume required for shipment of empty metal cans, both resulting in considerable reduction in transportation costs.

The chief feature of the present invention consists in providing a covered container wherein the cover can be telescoped upon the container, the cover having an outwardly flared skirt or rim, and the container having at its open upper end a reversely directed bearing portion and an outwardly and downwardly directed rim or skirt, the two rims or skirts being parallel and when pressure telescoped together forming an airtight seal.

Other objects and features of this invention, and its several modifications, three forms thereof being herein disclosed by way of exemplifiestion only, will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims:

In the drawing.

comparatively flat type covered-container embodying the invention. Y

. 1"igs.'2 and 3 are respectively a top plan and an elevational view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of th method of opening such a covered container.

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively, central sectional viewsthrough two diil'erent embodiments of the invention, same herein being of the tall type. the

loformer having a seal like that shown in Fig. 1

and the latter including such a seal as well as an additional seal, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing there is illustrated a covered container formed of two pieces,

a container and a cover. Each. in turn, is pressure molded from flat pulp sheet material of the character disclosed in and by the apparatus disclosed in one or more of the following copending applications: Serial No. 288,343, filed August 4, 1939; Serial No. 316,742, flied February 1, 1940; Serial No. 334,823, filed May 13, 1940 (now Patent No. 2,298,889, dated September 29, 1942; Serial No. 355,968, filed September 9, 1940; Serial No. 444,671, filed May 27, 1942; Serial N0. 444,672,

filed May 2'1, 1942; SerialNo. 462,124, filed October 15, 1942; and Serial No. 467,715, filed Decembar 3, 1942.

Herein ll indicates the base, centrally recessed at u of the container. The upwardly and outwardly flaring side I! terminates in a curved mouth or upper edge portion 13 from which pro- Jects downwardly and outwardly a flared lip or skirt I4.

85 The cover or closure includes a top I! centrally depressed at It and connected by a fillet portion I! to the upper portion of a downwardly and outwardly flared skirt It. The inclinations of skirts l8 and M are substantially the same. The ourvature of fillet l1 and mouth also is the same.

The lower edge of-the skirt ll terminates in this form. of the invention in an upturned rim It.

For shipment to the initial purchaser the containers are nested together and the covers are nested together. This purchaser then'fills the container and applies the cover thereto. With the container resting on a bench or table and pressure applied to the top face of the cover until the lower rounded edge engages the table or the like, the result is a friction, air sealed look between wall "and skirt It with hearing also between mouth II and fillet l1 and top I 5.

A closed container of this character is particularly adapted for the packaging of powders and Fig. 1 1S a central sectional view through a paste and-heavy cream-11kg congigtency products,

such as shoe and furniture polishes and waxes. These containers and covers are readily printed thus reducing the cost because of the elimination of lithographic costs.

The ultimate purchaser, when opening a container of this character, holds the cover in the right hand by gripping the-upturned rim l! of the cover. Then the fingers of the left hand are forced upwardly into the channel between the interior of cover wall it and the exterior of container' wall II, as shown in Fig. 4. The fingers of the left hand are then forced laterally as shown by dotted lines in said figure which breaks the friction seal and forces the cover slightly from the container. The complete separation is then readilyeflected.

This form of the invention has the further advantages as follows: when the cover is removed. it may be inverted and the container seated therein, saucer and cup fashion, or may be conventionally positioned and the container positioned thereon, the cover recess in the latter instance nesting the bottom of the container. For display and vendingpurposes, this nesting facilitates stack maintenance, for it presents accidental lateral movement of a superposed container relative to the next lower one.

Note also in this form, since lip ll restsupon the support. that between the container and cover is an annular dead air space. This further tends to seal the contents against evaporation of the volatiles, if any, in the contents should the airtight seal accidentally become broken.

Reference will now be had-t Fig. wherein there is illustrated an elongated container suit able for jellies, jams, foods and the like. Herein H0 indicates the bottom, Ill the recessed portion thereof, III-the side wall, ill the open mouth and ill the downwardly and outwardly flared skirt or rim. I

Also, herein the cover has the top Ill, centrally depressed as at 8 and the outwardly and downwardly directed rim or skirt ill isunited thereto by the filleted portion I" as before. Note that, as in Fig.- 1, the container rim is of less length than the cover rim or skirt. This is intentionalso that the pressure of the fingers, when removing the cover, see Fig. 4, will not bear upon the under edge of the rim of the container.

This form of structure also readily nests or stacks, for the area of the depression III also is greater than the area of bottom III. The central depression lll insures annular bearing upon the supporting surface rather than a, possible rocking support if the bottoms were ostensibly flat. The airtightfriction lock herein is identical to that shown in Fig. 1 form of the invention.

In Fig. 6 there is illustrated a third exemplification of the invention.- In this figure the container is substantially identical to that shown in Fig. 5 and includes bottom Illl centrally depressed at II I, and side wall III with mouth portion Iii and terminating in the rim or skirt Ill. Herein, however, cover II! is appreciably depressed as at IIS and portion Ilia connects same. The cover is fllleted at Ill and includes skirtor rim m. Herein the inclination of portion Ilia corresponds to that of the interior Of side wall III andthe two rims Ill and 2!: also have corresponding or similar inclinations. The mouth II! similarly corresponds to portions Ill-Ill herein.

In Figs. 1 and 5 the seal was at the container mouth and between the external skirts or rims, that is external of the container interior.

Fig. 8 this same seal is retained, and the mouth bearing now is of sealing type and in addition there is an internal sealing arrangement between the portions Illa and III. This form of the invention also readily lends itself to stacking without falling or stack locking.

In each of the forms shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the cover may serve as a display stand or be used saucer fashion with the container thereon or therein, respectively. Note in each embodiment the lower edge of the container lip or skirt terminates appreciably above the lower edge of the cover lip or skirt and for thepurpose described.

' Naturally no dead air space type of insulation ispossible with the forms of the invention illustrated. see Figs. 5 and 6.

while the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawing and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest them.

seivestopersonsskilledinthisartallareeonsidered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is: Y LA covered container structure of mold fibrous material includinga container portion having an open mouth defined by a downwardly inclined and outwardly flared rim or skirt of appreciable length, and a cover portion provided with a similar downwardly inclined and outwardly flared skirt, the skirts having the same inclination, the length of the container skirt being shorter than that of the cover skirt. the cover nestingly receiving and locking the com tainer therein solely by frictional engagement between adjacent inner cover skirt and outer container skirt contacting surfaces, the contacting surfaces having sufficient areas when associated together by pressure to effect such lockin g. skirts flaring relative to the container wall when necessary permitting finger interpositioning to effect release of said cover, the height of the cover being substantially that of the container and the lower end of the cover is defined by an outwardly and upwardly directed rim, the function thereof forming a smooth surface bearing for the cover.

2. it covered container structure of molded fibrous material including a container portion having an open mouth defined by a downwardly inclined and outwardly fiared rim or skirt of appreciable length, and a cover portion provided with a similar downwardly inclined and outwardly fiared skirt, the skirts having the same inclination, the length of the container skirt being shorter than that of the cover skirt, the cover nestingly receiving and locking the container therein solely by frictional engagement between adjacent inner cover skirt and outer container skirt contacting surfaces, the contacting surfaces having sufilcient areas when associated together by pressure to effect such locking, skirts flaring relative to the container wall when necessary permitting finger interpositioning to effect release of said cover, the height of the cover being substantially that of the container for dead air space insulation purposes when the container and cover bear upon a common support and are pressure locked together.

3. A two-piece closed fibrous unit including a one-piece container having a bottom and an upwardly diverging side terminating at the container open top in a curved portion extending downwardly and slightly outwardly and providing a peripheral flange terminating in a free edge in spaced relation with the outer surface and constituting a resilient lip-like flared skirt normally tending to expand outwardly when subjected to compressive peripheral pressure, and a one-piece cover having a top and an outwardly and downwardly directed, similarly flared flange forming a skirt and of a length appreciably greater than that of the container skirt and having its inner surface smooth throughout the container skirt contacting area and for at least an appreciable distance therebeyond, the cross-sectional dimension of the inner surface of the tainer open top in a curved portion extending downwardly and slightly outwardly and providing a peripheral edge in spaced rela on with the outer surface and constituting a resilient lip-like flared skirt normally tending to expand outwardly when subiected to compressive peripheral pressure, and a one-piece cover having a top and an outwardly and downwardly directed, similarly flared flange forming a skirt and of a length appreciably greater than that of the containerskirt and having its inner surface smooth throughout the container skirt contacting area and for at least an appreciable distance therebeyond, the crosssectional dimension of the inner surface of the cover skirt being initially slightly less than the cross-sectional dimension of the outer surface of the container skirt at the line of operative contact between the skirts whereby the cover skirt engages and cams the container skirt 20 slightly inwardly to pressure lock the contacting surfaces together, the smooth inner surface of the cover skirt immediately beyond the container-skirt free edge contracting slightly inwardly to prevent accidental separation of the B5 pressure lock, said cover further having a depressed central portion to friction lock with the inner wall of the container immediately adjacent the open topof the container.

' III II. WILEY.

e terminating in a free 

